Clinton Global Initiative Funded Energy Project for Raphael Warnock’s Church After His 2016 Campaign Efforts for Hillary Clinton

Georgia U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock’s (D) church reportedly received key funding from the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) for a climate change-related project shortly after he campaigned for Hillary Clinton’s presidential bid in 2016.

Warnock, who is facing a runoff election against Republican Herschel Walker, has served as pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, which reportedly was the recipient of a $550,000 grant from CGI soon after he stumped for Hillary Clinton during her 2016 campaign for president, Fox News reported Friday.

According to the report, Warnock’s church was seeking to improve its energy efficiency and lower its carbon emissions while it also presented itself as a “resource steward” to its community.

CGI reportedly stated in its announcement of the grant:

The world faces the significant challenge of climate change due to greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels, and burning of coal is a major contributor to those emissions. Using energy more efficiently, reducing coal use, and increasing renewable energy will help to reduce emissions and mitigate climate change.

“As people of faith, the principles of stewardship, justice, community of life, and awe inform our call to care for creation,” the announcement added. “The Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church has a recognized and highly active creation care ministry in which the church works with its many congregants to learn and teach strategies for stewarding resources and caring for God’s creation.”

Warnock’s church subsequently partnered with various green energy entities to “audit the church’s worship, educational and community facilities, recommend energy savings methods and propose solar generation methods by the end of 2016,” Fox News reported.

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Additionally, Warnock touted the grant would help to alleviate the effect of climate change that “disproportionately impacts poor, marginalized, black and brown communities,” WABE reported at the time.

Former President Bill Clinton reportedly noted as well in a 2016 blog post that Warnock’s church would partner with Green Faith which indoctrinates church congregations in climate change.

“Building a grassroots, multi-faith movement for climate justice,” Green Faith describes its mission at its website.

“But the half a million dollar grant came after Warnock campaigned heavily in support of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton’s wife. Clinton unsuccessfully ran for president in 2016,” Fox News reported, adding:

In 2015, the Progressive National Baptist Convention, a group of which Warnock was a senior member, endorsed voter registration policies for which the Clinton campaign had advocated. Months after the organization made the announcement, Warnock told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Clinton had “done a great job addressing the issues that concern the African-American community.”

In early 2016, Warnock became one of nearly 30 prominent black pastors who endorsed Hillary Clinton.

The Star News Network reached out to the Ebenezer Baptist Church for comment regarding the donation and is awaiting a response.

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Susan Berry, PhD is national education editor at The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Hillary Clinton” by Gage Skidmore. CC BY-SA 2.0. Background Photo “Raphael Warnock at Ebenezer Baptist Church” by John Eaves.

 

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